ACTH stimulation test

ACTH stim·u·la·tion test

a test for adrenal cortical function; ACTH administered by bolus, continuous intravenous infusion, or intramuscularly, evokes an increase in plasma cortisol in normal persons; in adrenal cortical insufficiency, the expected increase in plasma cortisol is limited or nonexistent.

ACTH stimulation test

A test to determine the presence of adrenal insufficiency.

Patient care

Synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is injected intravenously, and the serum cortisol level is measured at timed intervals (30 or 60 min after the injection). A patient with normal adrenal function will respond to the test with increased serum cortisol levels above 18 µg/dl. Serum cortisol levels < 15 µg/dl are diagnostic of adrenal insufficiency. The test has been traditionally performed with an injection of 250 µg of ACTH, but studies have shown that 1 µg is an equally effective test dose.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.